Welcome to the Four Lessons from Naaman the Syrian post. The post is a synopsis of the sermon given on Sabbath, 3 September 2016 by Pastor Mike Bauler at Know the Bible church in Portland, Oregon.

Turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings 5:1-16

Naaman’s Leprosy Healed

Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out on raids and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” 4 And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.”

5 Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”

So, he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said,

Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.

7 And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore, please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.”

8 So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

9 Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ 12 Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So, he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”

16 But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

Naaman is mentioned in the Gospel of Luke when Jesus was in Nazareth.

Luke 4:16-30

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20 Then He closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 So all bore witness to Him and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

23 He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum,  do also here in Your country.’ ” 24 Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. 25 But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; 26 but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with [e]wrath, 29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. 30 Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

What can we learn by studying the Four Lessons From Naaman the Syrian?

1. It is a Story of Faith. Naaman finally humbled himself and washed in the Jordan river and was healed.

When God promises us something in His Word, it will happen. Are we acting on faith regarding God’s Promises or are we acting on faith that God’s Promises will happen? The main principle is to Take God’s Promises in your heart and surrender fully to walk by faith.

2. Naaman’s Pride Was Hurt When Elisha Would Not Heal. Humans need to feel free and clean in our souls, our insides. Naaman needed cleansing of his inner soul. Naaman’s cleansing and healing is the First Baptism in the Bible. Seven times Naaman washed in the Jordan River. The number seven in the Bible represents Wholeness.

True Conversion is about cleansing the selfishness we all suffer from at times. Naaman returned without his pride and sought cleansing of his soul. This is the lesson of the True Gospel.

Turn to Acts 22:16.

Now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

3. Naaman Received the Holy Spirit.

Turn back to 2 Kings 5:16-17

But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

17 So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord.

4. Naaman Lived Up to All the Light He Had Received. Ellen White’s book Acts of the Apostles page 416 says:

“Few realize the full meaning of the words that Christ spoke when, in the synagogue at Nazareth, He announced Himself as the Anointed One. He declared His mission to comfort, bless, and save the sorrowing and the sinful; and then, seeing that pride and unbelief controlled the hearts of His hearers, He reminded them that in time past God had turned away from His chosen people because of their unbelief and rebellion, and had manifested Himself to those in heathen lands who had not rejected the light of heaven. The widow of Sarepta and Naaman the Syrian had lived up to all the light they had; hence they were accounted more righteous than God’s chosen people who had backslidden from Him and had sacrificed principle to convenience and worldly honor. “

How do we use the Light we have received? There were many lepers in Israel, but only Naaman the Syrian was healed.

Two Major Teachings from This Story Are:

1. Do Not Have Preconceived Ideas About the Bible.

2. Walk In the Light You Have Received.

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Welcome to the When We Pray God Works post. This post contains the sermon given by Tammara Daniel at Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church in Washougal, Washington on Sabbath, 1 February 2020.

Tammara leads the Prayer Ministry at the Riverside Church. Our church has developed small group ministries to help disciple current members and make the church a place for people searching for hope and truth can come. Tammara shared her testimony with the church.

Turn in your Bibles to the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 24:14

This gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Now turn to Ephesians 3:20.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us.

When We Pray, God Works. God Moves Heaven to minister to His Children.

Now turn to Psalms 91.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God in whom I trust.”

³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
    and under His wings you shall find protection;
    His faithfulness shall be your shield and wall.
⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
    nor of the arrow that flies by day;
⁶ nor of the pestilence that pursues in darkness,
    nor of the destruction that strikes at noonday.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side
    and ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it shall not come near you.
⁸ Only with your eyes shall you behold
    and see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
    even the Most High, your dwelling,
¹⁰ there shall be no evil befall you,
    neither shall any plague come near your tent;
¹¹ for He shall give His angels charge over you
    to guard you in all your ways.
¹² They shall bear you up in their hands,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You shall tread upon the lion and adder;
    the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

¹⁴ Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
    I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
¹⁵ He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    and I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him My salvation.

Now turn to John 10:27-29.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life. They shall never perish, nor shall anyone snatch them from My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them from My Father’s hand.

One of the first evangelists was the Samaritan woman at the well. She knew that she had met a prophet after talking with Jesus. She evangelized her whole town right away.

Now turn to John 4:39.

Many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.”

Prayer Works

Tammara felt God’s call to the Seventh-day Adventist church because she wanted to follow the Bible. She had grown up in another Christian denomination.

For many years, Tammara’s heart longed for her father to accept Jesus Christ as his personal savior. Tammara kept praying even when her father was not responding. As her father grew older, Tammara kept praying. One day her father asked her to study the Bible. He finally accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior.

Tammara prays for every student that attends Riverside Christian school and for every member that attends the church on Thursdays.

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Some Sabbath Facts ( Seventh-day or Saturday ) is a brief history of God’s Seventh-Day established in Genesis 2.

1. Established at the End of the Six Day Creation – Seal of God
2. Was the First Day for Adam after God Breathed the Breath of Life Into Adam’s Body
3. Sabbath Is Only Commandment of the Ten Commandments with the Word ‘Remember’
4. Sabbath Was Kept By Jesus When He Lived
5. Jesus Said In Luke 6:5 in the Bible That He Is Lord of the Sabbath
6. Jesus Even Rested In the Tomb After His Crucifixion ( Kept the Sabbath ) and Rose on the First Day ( Sunday ) of the Week
7. Jesus’s Disciples Kept the Sabbath – Read the Book of Acts
8. All Saved Christians That Will Be in the First Resurrection When Jesus Comes Again Will Keep the Sabbath – Isaiah 66:22-23
9. Sabbath Is God’s Holy Sanctified Time That He Wants to Spend with You !
10. Keeping Sabbath Is NOT Burdensome – It Is a Weekly Blessing
11. Keeping Sabbath Is NOT Being a Legalist – It Is Being Loyal to the Word of God in the Holy Bible
12. Sabbath Is Not Just for the Jewish People – Sabbath Established as the Seventh-day After the Six Days of Creation When God Rested From His Work. Abraham Did Not Establish the Jewish Nation Until Around 2,000 BC

Walter Veith has a Ph D in Zoology. He was an atheist that opened a Bible and began comparing what the Bible says against what his wife’s Catholic church taught. Dr. Veith has lectured about Jesus Christ since he accepted Jesus as his savior. You can click on his lecture about the Sabbath below and learn many details about the history of Sabbath keeping.

My own personal experience and walk with God has radically changed since I learned Some Sabbath Facts truth. I grew up believing that you went to church on Sunday morning. I also left the church around the age of 19 when I enlisted in the military.

A neighbor of mine in 2005 introduced me to Some Sabbath Facts. I am forever grateful to have learned how to study and apply what the Bible says in my life.

I now gladly give Bible studies to people that are searching for truth. I am not stating that you or your family members that are sleeping now are not going to heaven if you do not keep God’s fourth commandment. For me, I like to get back to basics and take God’s word as doctrine. There are tens of thousands of Protestant fellowships and I am a baptized member in good standing in the Seventh-day Adventist Christian church. I believe our church follows the Bible closer than any other fellowship that exists today.

You can learn more about the History of God’s Seventh Day of Creation by watching the free videos narrated by Hal Holbrook on the website below:

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Welcome to the post Ezekiel 47 Message By Caleb Robles. Caleb preached this sermon on Sabbath, 14 December 2019 at the Vicuña, Chile Seventh-day Adventist Christian church.

Caleb is an elder of the church that is in La Serena, Chile. He belongs to the church in the South American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church. He goes to speak at different churches each week. His message began with the scripture reading from Jeremiah 17:9-10:

“The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?

I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings.”

Turn in your Bibles to Romans 11:5:

Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

God has always had faithful people on the earth.

Isaiah 58:12

Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

Ezra 9:8-10

Now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage. For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem. And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments.

Daniel 10:13

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.

Ezekiel 47:1-2

Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.

Here in Ezekiel 47 Message By Caleb Robles showed a diagram of the temple which faced east. The water flowed under the right side of the temple south of the altar.

Joshua 24:15

If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Solomon Builds the Temple

2 Chronicles 3:1

Now Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

Jeremiah 21:8

Now you shall say to this people, Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.”

All through the Bible, the New Testament validates the Old Testament. Look at this scripture in John 7:38-39:

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Now turn to Revelation 17:15:

Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.”

Now turn to Matthew 7:13-14:

The Narrow Way

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

This passage in John 10:7 and verse 9 also guide us.

Jesus the Good Shepherd

John 10

Verse 7: Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”

Verse 9: I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

Turn now to Isaiah 14:13:

For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north’

Now go to Isaiah 43:6-9:

I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth—

Everyone who is called by My name,
Whom I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

Bring out the blind people who have eyes,
And the deaf who have ears.

Let all the nations be gathered together,
And let the people be assembled.
Who among them can declare this,
And show us former things?
Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified;
Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.”

Let us now go to the prophet Zechariah 2:6-7:

Future Joy of Zion and Many Nations

“Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord. “Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.”

Let us turn back to Ezekiel 47:2:

He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.

Now we go back to Matthew and read chapter 25:31-32:

The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.”

Let us look deeper into Ezekiel 47 verses 3 through 10:

And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. 6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.

7 When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. 8 Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the [a]valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. 9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever [b]the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. 10 It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many.

Now let us return to the prophet Zechariah 2:1-2:

Vision of the Measuring Line

Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, “Where are you going?”

And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”

Now turn to Isaiah 28:17:

Also I will make justice the measuring line,
And righteousness the plummet;
The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,
And the waters will overflow the hiding place.

God is a God of order. You see that throughout the Bible.

Now let us go back to Matthew chapter 13:47-48:

The Parable of the Dragnet

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.

Now turn to Psalms 65:9:

You visit the earth and water it,
You greatly enrich it;
The river of God is full of water;
You provide their grain,
For so You have prepared it.

Many scriptures speak of water. Jesus is the living water.

Now let us turn to Isaiah 55:10-11:

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Let us go back to Matthew one last time and read Chapter 4 verses 18 and 19:

Four Fishermen Called as Disciples

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

The last verses to read are Ezekiel 47:11-12:

But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt. Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.

Caleb’s message shows a similarity between Ezekiel 47:11-12 and Revelation 22:2. Revelation 22:2:

In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Hope you have enjoyed this Ezekiel 47 Message By Caleb Robles. It is great to read your comments.

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Welcome to the Walter Veith Messages at Stone Tower Church In Portland 2019 post. There are four audio files from the Meetings held on 20 and 21 September 2019.

Leadership and End Time Prophecy

Here is the audio file. I will write some highlights after reviewing the message myself.

Walter Veith Leadership and End Time Prophecy

This is the message Walter preached on Sabbath morning. Torah was the father of Abraham. I will update the notes here after listening to the message again.

Torah Died In Haran

Adding Walter’s message content as soon as possible

Babylon Is Fallen Part 1

Adding Walter’s message content as soon as possible

Babylon Is Fallen Part 2

Adding Walter’s message content as soon as possible

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Welcome to the Dying for Devotion Sermon given by Pastor David Shin on Sabbath, 15 September 2019 at Hillside O’Malley Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church in Anchorage, Alaska. David preached about the Prophet Daniel and his devotion to God.

Daniel the Prophet

Jesus Christ studied the Old Testament Scriptures when He was growing up and knew the Book of Daniel well. In Matthew 24:15, Jesus quotes Daniel.

Matthew 24:15

The Great Tribulation

“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand).

Pastor Shin made Three Observations.

1. Jesus declares that Daniel is a prophet.
2. Jesus points out that the book of Daniel is relevant to God’s last day people.
3. Jesus gives an divine endorsement that we should study the book of Daniel.

Background

1. Prophetic – End Time Emphasis
2. Narrative – 8 Stories

6 Stories – Characteristics to Develop

2 Stories – Characteristics to Avoid

3. Daniel Means God Is My Judge

Testimonies to Ministers

Ellen White wrote: “When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the character that all must develop in order to realize the blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart.”

TM Page 114

Daniel

Daniel Means God Is My Judge

Daniel 6

When you study the chapter, you will see that men conspired against Daniel. No fault or charge could be found because Daniel was faithful. Daniel ended up being thrown into a Lion’s Den.

God protected Daniel from the Lions. King Darius ordered the men that had falsely accused Daniel to be thrown into the Lions Den. King Darius praised the God of Daniel and made a decree for people to reverence the God of Daniel.

Pastor Shin shared these 3 quotes from Ellen White.

“We should choose the right because it is right, and leave consequences with God” GC, Page 460.
“It is better to die than to sin; better to want than to defraud; better to hunger than to lie.” TC, Volume 4, Page 495.

The greatest want of the world is the want of men– men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall. Ed. 57

Comparisons In Daniel 6 & Revelation 13

Comparison No. 1:
Daniel was persecuted because he chose to obey God’s law.
Daniel 6:5
The Remnant will be persecuted for keeping God’s law as Christ did.
Revelation 12:17

Comparison No. 2:
The king of Persia made a law which commanded false worship.
Daniel 6:6-9

The Beast Power will lead the world to make a law that commands false worship.
Revelation 13:15

Comparison No. 3:
The Persian law led people to worship a man – Darius the Mede.
Daniel 6:7

The Mark of the Beast issue brings the world to worship a man with the number 666.
Revelation 13:18

Comparison No. 4
The penalty in Daniel 6 involved the death decree.
Daniel 6:7

The penalty in the Mark of the Beast issue involves the death decree.
Revelation 13:15

Comparison No. 5
Daniel was saved by the intervention of God.
Daniel 6:19-23

God’s people are delivered by the coming of Christ.
Revelation 19:11

Daniel would rather die than miss his devotions.

3 Aspects of Devotional Life

1. Relationship

5 Languages of Love

1. Acts of Service
2. Words of Affirmation
3. Physical Touch
4. Gifts
5. Quality Time

The relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watchcare, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved son.
Steps to Christ, p. 100

3 Aspects of the Devotional Life

1. Relationship
2. Reclusion

“Jesus went out to a solitary place and there prayed.”
Mark 1:35

Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, “Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee.” This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ.
Steps to Christ, Page 70

Mountain and Multitude

Be still and know that I am God.
Psalms 46:10

By beholding you become changed… 2 Cor. 3:18

3 Aspects of Devotional Life

1. Relationship
2. Reclusion
3. Re-scripting

Re-Scripting

1. Everyone has a script.
2. The script is written by someone else.
3. Scripts are fed by academic education, advertising, media, propaganda, and television.

At this point in the Dying for Devotion Sermon, Pastor Shin shows an image of a large television set and asks:

What Script Are You Following?

As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position, and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side.
Great Controversy, 608

Pastor Shin ends the Dying for Devotion Sermon by showing a picture of Jesus Christ coming in the clouds accompanied by many angels.

Welcome to Three Angels Message In Verity Sermon given by Dr. Harold Lee on Sabbath, 14 September 2019 at Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church in Washougal, Washington.

There are 563 faith-based organizations that keep the Bible Sabbath now. One of them is the Seventh-day Adventist Christian church. What makes the Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church different from the others? Let us look at the name to find out.

Seventh day points us to the Creation which is described in the book of Genesis in the beginning of the Bible. Adventist means second coming of Jesus Christ which is the end of the Bible. In the Book of Revelation, what will happen in the end of time just before the return of Jesus Christ is described.

So, the Seventh-day Adventist Christian church covers the whole Bible. There are 28 fundamental beliefs that can be found on the website Adventist.org

What does Verity mean? Many corporations use a verity symbol. Verity is defined in the dictionary as truth. The Three Angels Message In Verity Sermon then is a message of truth from the Bible.

Dr. Harold Lee gave a short testimony about growing up as a Buddhist in Korea. He met a Presbyterian Christian and became a follower of Jesus Christ at a young age. Dr. Lee discovered the Three Angels Messages which are taught by the Seventh-day Adventist church and joined the church.

The Three Angels Messages are found in Revelation 14:6-10.

The Proclamations of Three Angels

6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—

7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand

10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

The most published American woman author writes that Justification by Faith is Verity or Truth. Justification and Righteousness come from the same Greek word.

The Three Angels Messages are the Gospel. Gospel means the Good News.

Romans 1:16-18

The Just Live by Faith

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

The Gospel reveals two things:

1. The Righteousness of God

2. The Wrath of God

John 3:36

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

Romans 5:20

Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.

In Genesis 2:7, God formed Adam from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into Adam. The Greek word that describes how God breathed the breath of life into Adam’s nostrils is the same word that is used for the wrath of God.

God wants to save all mankind. God is patient. In Revelation 14:10, the wine is an organic breakdown of yeast. It takes time for the process to happen. The wrath of God also takes time. It is the wine of the wrath of God that unrighteousness must drink.

Revelation 14:19

So, the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

Dr. Lee met with a man that has not been able to work. In a long conversation, Dr. Lee learned that the man got drunk on wine at the age of 12. The man has had seizures ever since for over 30 years now.

The alcohol industry publishes reports that wine is good for your health. Those reports are wisdom of the world, not from God.

Let us look at the life of a man named Abraham.

Romans 4:3

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Galatians 3:6

Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

You can learn about the life of Abraham in Genesis 12 and how he listened to God when God asked Abraham to leave his home in Haran at the age of 75. In Genesis 15, God makes a covenant with Abraham. In Genesis 17, God tells Abraham he will be the Father of Many even though Abraham was 100 years old. God kept His Covenant and Abraham’s wife Sarah had a son that was named Isaac.

Romans 4:5

David Celebrates the Same Truth

5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

Abraham was justified. In Romans 4:17, Abraham believed God that resurrected the dead and the God that creates man out of nothing. Sarah had no way to conceive as she was barren. Abraham also was dead as far as producing a child. But through God’s supernatural power, Sarah conceived Isaac.

Romans 4:17

(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.

Hebrews 11:17 and verse 19

The Faith of the Patriarchs

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.

19 Concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Romans 4:13

The Promise Granted Through Faith

13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Abraham was able. The message of Justification by Faith is the work of God laying the glory of man in the dust. Man does not have the power to do this himself.

In the book Steps to Christ, Ellen White writes that it is impossible for us to escape the pit of sin. Our hearts are evil. The carnal mind is the enemy of man.

Power from God can change the human heart. Nothing in us will earn us Salvation. God has provided a onetime sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ so that all mankind can be saved. Hope the Three Angels Message In Verity Sermon has helped you. To read more Spiritual Messages of Truth, please visit my Spiritual Category. Just click the link below:

Spiritual Messages for Strength

Welcome to the Only Once In Eternity Sermon By Pat Hart. This message was given at the Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian church on Sabbath, 10 August 2019 by Pat Hart.

It’s August. We have not even had Labor Day yet, but do you think we can find a little Christmas spirit this morning? Let us turn back to our scripture reading to help us out.

Birth of the Messiah

Luke 2:17

Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Just think what an awesome privilege it was to get to see Jesus in the manger and to be the very, very first to tell the world the Messiah had been born and where to find Him!

Have you ever wondered how one qualifies for such an honor? Were the wise men just lucky? Were they just handy? Were there other people that had the same opportunity but missed it?

Let us think about the time of the birth of the Messiah. It had been 4,000 years since God had promised Adam and Eve one of their descendants would come to crush evil. The hope had been kept alive from generation to generation among God-fearing people. Prophets had given hundreds of specifics about when and where to expect Him. But after thousands of years. God grew silent because, so few listened anymore.

However, God suddenly aroused fresh attention to the old prophets when a priest was struck speechless while on duty in the temple. Everyone heard the news that an angel appeared to him and said his barren wife would have a son and they should call him John!

Luke 1:15-17

For He will be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

This news spread far and wide because this was the first time in hundreds of years a major supernatural event had occurred among God’s people! You would think this preparation message would have turned everyone’s attention to the scriptures. You would think everyone would have come to attention trying to figure out what was going on, and eagerly preparing ‘for the Lord’. But that isn’t the way it was at all.

When the angels gathered to bring ‘good tidings of great joy’ for “All People” just a few months later, indifference pervaded the land of Israel. Hearts selfish and world-engrossed were untouched by the joy that thrilled all heaven. Only a few were longing to behold the Unseen. To these, heaven’s embassy was sent. Desire of Ages page 44.

Friends just think how many of God’s people missed the opportunity to share this once in eternity privilege with the shepherds! Just think how disappointed and amazed God’s universe was to see His people indifferent about Him!

I am bringing this up because the universe is very interested today to see how God’s people are preparing for the next once in eternity, glory-to-God-good-will-to-men event.

There were Three Angels sent from heaven with messages specific to the second coming of Jesus over a hundred years ago now. Does the universe see excitement or indifference among God’s people? How many of God’s people do angles find thrilled with these preparation messages and eagerly longing, I mean aching to behold the Unseen?

Jesus let us know that not all of us are prepared to see Him or to widely make known the sayings which have been told us concerning Him. Some of us are not prepared to cause people to marvel at these things. Only some of us are not prepared to glorify and praise Him for all the things that we have heard and seen about Jesus.

Let us turn to Matthew 25:1-13

Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

And at midnight a cry was heard. ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him! Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us! But He answered and said, Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Let us clarify what the role of the virgins was. It must have been more than lighting the road to everyone who could see which way to go. Surely the foolish virgins would not have gotten lost if they had just kept their eyes on the lights held high by the wise and followed closely along.

What they could not do though, without oil, was help celebrate the bridegroom! They could not spot light Him. They could not draw attention to Him. They could not help to awaken the sleeping world to His glory or this spectacular event. they could not bring people to their windows to see what was going on so more could join the party!

So, they missed out on a once in eternity opportunity. They missed out on associating with Him, being with Him, and making memories of Him on one of the greatest days of His life!

The only, but critical difference between the foolish and the wise was the wise had oil in their vessels and the foolish had empty vessels. If you know your role is to shed as much light as possible on the bridegroom, then would not having plenty of oil be uppermost in your mind? The fact that you neglect to fill your vessel with oil is a dead giveaway that you are more interested in being chosen than in being useful.

I do not want to be like that. You do not want to be like that. We want to be like the wise virgins. So, let us turn our attention to them.

The first thing to note is that their story is part of Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ question about signs of the end. So, it is important to point out that when the wise virgins awaken the world to the glory of the Bridegroom, it will be the greatest sign that His coming is imminent.

This sign is singular. There have always been earthquakes, false prophets, pestilences and war. It is even possible for stars to fall and the moon to turn blood red and the sun to be blocked from sight more than once. But it will only take once for the world to be illuminated with the glory of the Bridegroom to eliminate the Valley of Decision.

Consider carefully what having vessels full of oil says about the wise virgins.

Ellen White said, “Now is the time for the careless to arouse from their slumber. Now is the time to entreat that souls shall not only hear the word of God, but without delay secure oil in their vessels with their lamps. That oil is the righteousness of Christ. It represents character, and character is not transferable. No man can secure it for another. Each must obtain for himself a character purified from every stain of sin.” Testimonies to Ministers page 233.2

This reminds us that when Moses asked to see His Glory, God said: “I will make My goodness pass before you.” Exodus 33:19

Now is the time for the world to see God’s goodness! Let us continue with Only Once In Eternity Sermon By Pat Hart.

Ellen White said this over 100 years ago. Surely some of God’s people have secured oil and obtained a character purified from every stain of sin. But we know most of us have not. So far most of us have missed the opportunity to glorify the Bridegroom just as most of Gods people missed the once in eternity privilege of being first to announce His birth!

God in His great mercy has promised to send a fourth angel to revive and reinforce the messages of the first three who flew more than 100 years ago. He assures us this time the whole world will be illuminated with God’s glory and His Goodness!

Revelation 18:1

After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with His glory.

This time a critical mass will have secured oil and developed characters purified from every stain of sin! This time the wheat will be ready for harvest. His bride, His church will be without spot or blemish.

“When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. when the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own”. COL page 69

The wheat was not ready for the sickle in Old Testament times. The bride was not ready for the wedding in New Testament times, or in Reformation times, or Millerite times or since. But God’s word is sure. He will have a people who illuminate the world with the beauty of His character. His righteousness will be revealed through humanity despite everything the enemy can do. There can be no doubt. God has spoken

His investment in lost, broken, wretched humanity is certain to pay off! He will be able to present to the universe not only redeemed but restored characters washed whiter than snow in His own blood. This was the joy that was set before Jesus in His agony on the cross. It was enough to keep Him there to the bitter end.

How will this ever happen when it has never happened before?

“It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last great harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.” COL page 69

The final message that ripens the harvest is an everlasting truth that humanity has been slow to comprehend. It is the Sabbath message. It is the message that celebrates God’s power to create and recreate as humans’ consent to become totally dependent on Him. it is the opposite of achieving goodness. It is the message of receiving Him, welcoming Him and celebrating what only He can do! It is the message of the faith of Jesus Himself lived and died by.

God planted the seed of this message in human hearts with His first promise to a couple in Eden who desperately tried to fix their shame problem with fig leaves. It took time for the gospel seed to germinate and sprout, but He faithfully cultivated it through many droughts and storms over the centuries. He will send a final rain to ripen the crop. He will be delighted to present to the universe a bountiful harvest of fat, golden wheat.

God has been developing and maturing His church through the ages of growing pains as a father pities his foolish children. He will be delighted to present her without fault or blemish as a worthy bride for His Son.

How will this happen?

Back to the shepherds. They were more interested in a Savior than most. They listened and responded to messages from heaven. They went to see Jesus for themselves. They enthusiastically, joyfully reported the miracle of what God had done!

Friends their generation had a once in eternity opportunity. They took it when others did not.

God offered our great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents a chance to experience the once in eternity privilege of illuminating the world with His glory. But like the saints in old Jerusalem, they missed it.

It is sad to say, but it is a fact. “If every soldier of Christ had done his duty, if every watchman on the walls of Zion had given the trumpet a certain sound, the world might ere this have heard the message of warning. But the work is years behind. While men have slept, Satan has stolen a march upon us.” 9T, page 29

It is our turn. But character development takes time and time is shorter today than ever before.

Who wants to commit themselves to a serious quest to buy oil – for His sake? Who wants to believe that if Christ could be born a helpless human and live by faith in Power from above Him? He can give His purifying, victorious faith. Who wants to believe He can wash every stain of sin from us and reveal His beautiful glory in our character? I do.

Who will stand with me and pray for this?

We have an awesome opportunity. We must not miss it.

Hope you have enjoyed reading Only Once In Eternity Sermon By Pat Hart. I pray we are all ready. You can read more posts in our Spiritual Messages Category by clicking the link below:

Spiritual Messages

Closing Hymn is #595

Let Every Lamp Be Burning

Welcome to the Honest Faith By Stan Beerman message. Here are the sermon notes that I took on 8 June 2019 when Stan gave this message at Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church in Washougal, Washington.

Sermon Notes

Many of the beaches of Oregon and Washington allow people to drive their vehicles on the beach. Drivers should be aware that driving on the sand can be difficult. You must stay on hard sand which is more common in the winter months. Stan shared a recent visit to the beach in the warmer weather and quickly realized that his truck had gotten stuck in the softer sand.

Stan prayed and just a couple of minutes later, a man in a 4 wheel drive truck with a long chain pulled up. The man asked Stan if he could help pull Stan’s truck out of the sand. Stan was amazed at how fast God had answered his prayer. Stan asked the man what his name was. The man replied Mike Angel. Stan got Mike’s address after asking him if he could send Mike a gift for helping him get unstuck.

Turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 13 which is known as the Love Chapter in the Bible.

1 Corinthians 13 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Greatest Gift

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Build Faith

We must build our faith on earth. In Mark 9 and Matthew 7, Jesus was transfigured on the mountain in front of His Disciples Peter, James and John. Some Christian writers state this was the First Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus shined brightly.

Matthew 17:2-3
He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

There is a parallel here. Moses face shined brightly when he left God’s Presence on Mount Sinai or Mount Horeb. We should pray that as Seventh-day Adventist Christians that we should have a glow about us

In Mark 7:14, the Disciples asked Jesus what to do about the demon in the boy. Then in verses 19-20:

“Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Do we see spiritual needs in others and feel inadequate? This is what the Disciples felt. Jesus was a great Psychologist.

In verse 21, the demon convulsed the boy. In verse 23, Jesus gets the father involved. Jesus tells us that all things are possible.

The Christian author CS Lewis wrote: Be transparent with God, be brutally honest. Jesus tells us that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, all things are possible. A mustard seed is one of the tiniest seeds in the world.

How big is your God is the question we need to remember. Let us continue on with the Honest Faith By Stan Beerman message.

Pastor Beerman was in his second year of ministry when he got a call from a couple that was in their late 30’s at the time. The couple had no children and the couple desired having children. Pastor Beerman met them and had intercessory prayer for the couple.

Just 3 months later in the summer heat, Pastor Beerman is at a traffic light and stops next to a truck. The woman has her windows rolled down. The woman tells Stan that she is pregnant. The woman happens to be the woman he had prayed for 3 months earlier.

Another incident happened when Stan had a serious cold and was visiting an Idaho prison. One of the inmates prayed and one hour later, Stan was healed.

In Hebrews 11, Abraham believed. Faith is a relationship of trust that grows over time. We build our faith in our acts and behavior.

When we pray, it is what we believe in God’s character.

A pastor friend of Stan’s was a man named Doug. Doug had cancer. All of the elders had been in intercessory prayer for Doug. Doug died from the cancer.

In Mark 9:24, the father prays one of the most honest prayers in the Bible:

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

God’s character has to be cleared in our own minds. The boy was healed. The father prayed a desparate prayer.

God knows and likes to hear our prayers. Hope you have enjoyed reading the Honest Faith By Stan Beerman message.

Greatest Display of Love

Welcome to the God’s Passion for Us post. These are the sermon notes from Pastor Merrill Caviness sermon given at Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church in Washougal, Washington on Sabbath, 20 April 2019.

Did you know that Jesus Christ was an innocent man? Jesus loves mankind so much that he took the role of being the sacrificial lamb and took the sins of the world on His Shoulders. Jesus lived a perfect life by following His Father’s Eternal Ten Commandment Law perfectly. He is the only human that has or will accomplish living a life without sin.

Jesus knew in the Garden of Gethsemane that He would have to go to the Cross to die for our sins. Every Christian’s fate depended on Jesus taking our sin burden on His Shoulders. In the Celebration of Holy Communion, once a quarter, Seventh-day Adventists take the bread and organic grape juice as the sacraments. Jesus said: “Do this in remembrance of Me” in 1 Corinthians 11:24.

Growing up, Pastor Merrill would tease his sister that was 6 years younger. His sister was always getting into trouble. She would get blamed for things that happened. Merrill would proclaim his innocence. He never wanted to accept guilt that was due him. Our world also does not want to accept guilt. The Blame Game is played by almost everyone.

In Matthew 27 and in Luke 23:14, Pilate, the Roman Governor sees no fault in Jesus.

Luke 23:14 New King James Version (NKJV)
Pilate said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him.”

In Luke 23:16, Pilate should have let Jesus go. We find in Matthew 27 that Pilate is warned through his wife to not have anything to do with Jesus. Pilate’s wife had seen the whole trial. She has woken up frightened in a dream.

Matthew 27:19 New King James Version (NKJV)
While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

It was a custom at Passover time for the Roman Governor to release a criminal. Pilate thought he would be able to get rid of dealing with Jesus and made the choice so easy for the Religious Leaders. Pilate said do you want me to release the hardened criminal Barabbas or Jesus? It should have been an easy choice. Pilate was in a bad place. The Religious Leaders had backed him into a difficult situation.

Pilate had Jesus beaten in front of the Religious Leaders.

John 19:3 New King James Version (NKJV)
Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands.

Pilate exclaims that he found no guilt in Jesus in John 19:4. Jesus stood there bloody and His skin was torn from the torture. Barabbas was a hardened criminal. Jesus Christ was innocent, the spotless son of God, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

There has been a Great Controversy in the world ever since the fall of Lucifer in heaven. You can read this excellent book on the website below:

The Great Controversy

Every day, who will we chose? Jesus or Satan? In John 19:6, the Chief Priests cried out to crucify Jesus. We live in a self-seeking dog eat dog world. The Chief Priests were more concerned with their livelihood than justice.

Pilate asked Jesus where He was from in John 19:9. Jesus just stood there and never answered Pilate. At that point Pilate told the Religious Leaders that he was innocent of Jesus’s blood. Pastor Merrill states in his sermon God’s Passion for Us that his own sins killed Jesus.

Adam and Eve did not die immediately after they committed the very first sin on this earth. Jesus stepped forward. The Bible tells us:

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The only reason we are alive today is Jesus Christ. The only totally innocent human being ever is Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ became the guilty so we could live. HE LOVES YOU !

Pilate tried to accept the world and Jesus but it did not work.

Will you take responsibility and chose Jesus Christ over choosing the world?

We Need a Savior. Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father God.

John 14:6 New King James Version (NKJV)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Hope you have enjoyed reading my God’s Passion for Us post. You can read more posts like this in my category below:

Spiritual Messages

Welcome to our True Love post. This message is from Pastor Merrill Caviness sermon that he preached at Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian church in Washougal, Washington on 16 February 2019. In the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13 is an excellent chapter about love.

Are we looking for Love in all the wrong places? In the Bible, there is a love story in the Book of Genesis.

Genesis 2 tells us about Adam and Eve and the very first marriage.

18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” 19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.

21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

23 Adam said:

“This is now bone of my bones
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.”

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

In Genesis 3, Eve is deceived by the serpent. The snake questions God’s Authority and puts doubt into Eve’s mind by saying: “You will not surely die” in verse 4. God had instructed Adam and Eve to not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve took from the tree and ate the fruit and gave some to her husband Adam. As a result of not following God’s instructions, all of mankind fell into sin.

Blame Game

After the fall, we read in Genesis 3 that Adam blamed Eve, then Eve blamed the serpent and all death, disease, sin and suffering is a result of the original sin. God did not leave Adam and Eve after their fall into sin. God came looking for them as they hid themselves in the Garden of Eden.

Where do you find true love? Here are the different kinds of Love.

Types of Love

Storge is an Empathy Bond. This is family love. Love that your brother has for his sister or child has for their parent.

Philia or friend bond is the love between friends as close as siblings in strength and duration. The friendship is the strong bond existing between people who share common values, interests or activities.

Eros or erotic bond is love in the sense of “being in love” or “loving” someone. Eros is the love where you will give your life for some one else like Jesus Christ did for fallen mankind.

Agape or unconditional “God” love is the love that exists regardless of changing circumstances. Christian Author C.S. Lewis recognizes this selfless love as the greatest of the four loves, and sees it as a specifically Christian virtue to achieve.

The Bible tells us that because of sin, we have lost sight of True Love. The Bible tells us to Love One Another. God has agaped us. We should do the same for other people.

God created Family to teach us how to Love as He does. Make Jesus Christ first and foremost and you will survive trials of Life. Study to advance the happiness of each other. We get a foretaste of heaven when we live by serving other people now. Learn more by reading Ellen White’s book:

Adventist Home

Dave and Ann Wilson were near their 10 year wedding anniversary. Dave went all out to make their special day a blessing. He bought Ann 10 roses and took her out to dinner. Ann told Dave that their marriage was over. Dave took the news very hard.

Dave got on his knees in his car and began to pray. Dave asked God to change him. He prayed that God would make him available to be home more. He prayed to be a better father and husband.

Ann realized her own shortcomings and began praying with Dave. Dave and Ann Wilson have a much better relationship because they chose to seek God and pray.

Accept God’s Offer

God offers us true love that will be there always no matter what. Seek Agape Love in all your relationships. Father God, help us learn how to truly love, in Jesus name, Amen.

I pray that my True Love post has been helpful to you. For more Spiritual Messages, please visit my link below:

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Camp Meeting In Chile 2019

Camp Meeting In Chile 2019 is a reflection of how the Gospel is being shared as small groups are studying the Bible together. Many people are being baptized as a result of the Gospel being shared.

Rich In the Important Things In Life

I have been blessed to be able to attend many camp meetings in many places in the world. I witnessed some wonderful moments at the Camp Meeting In Chile 2019. There were many young people full of enthusiasm. These people are so filled with God’s Holy Spirit that they sing while waiting in line for their meals.

Sharing the Gospel

The following video is in Spanish. My girl friend Patricia is on stage as she is a Bible worker in Chile. She and many other church members are actively sharing the Gospel with people in their communities. I like the appearance of the Union Mission Leader of Evangelism holding a dry Baptismal Robe just waiting for the next person that accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

Simple Things In Life

South America is a huge continent. Chile is as long north to south as the United States is east to west from Eastern Maine all the way to Blaine in the northwestern corner of Washington State. Chile is a narrow country and the border with Argentina is the Andes Mountain Range. Chile is loaded with natural resources and many people come from other nations in South America to work in Chile. The economy in Chile is strong.

Family is very important in Chile. The main religion is still Catholicism. The Catholic church has a major influence on the society. The Seventh-day Adventist Church also has a strong presence. You can see the role the church plays in the community right where my girl friend lives.

The local church has meetings on Wednesday night for prayer and a Bible message. The church also meets on God’s Holy and Sanctified Seventh-day Sabbath day in the morning for Bible study and then worship. There is also an evening vespers worship that is followed by fellowship with tea and some local favorite foods.

The church in Vicuna, Chile also has outreach on Sunday mornings. The church had a class on taking large plastic containers and creating mini gardens. You just shape the plastic container to be able to hold some potting soil and be able to have drainage from watering. You can plant all kinds of different vegetables in these containers.

Take Away From Church In Chile

Chile might not be the wealthiest nation on earth but it has many good qualities that more wealthy nations lack. The family is very strong in Chile. People serve each other in the church and community. The church is growing rapidly with many young people sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with their friends.

I hope you have enjoyed reading our Camp Meeting In Chile 2019 post. For more posts about Spiritual Topics, please click the Link Below to go to our messages.

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Why There Is Trouble In the World

Welcome to my Why There Is Trouble In the World post. Eve Strayed from God’s Word Just a Little & Believed the Serpent’s Lie That She Would Not Die If She Ate the Fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil.

All Death, Evil, Pain, & Suffering We Humans Experience Is a Direct Result of That Poor Decision. God has given man free will. That is the ultimate display of love towards us. God is love. God wants us to freely love Him. We can each choose whether we want to learn about the God of Love or close our spiritual nature off from His Love.

Today I Will Do My Best to Let God Be God & Have Him Use Me to Do HIS Will and not mine. Give Me the Bible, the Holy Word of God. Help Me Follow What It Says & Do Not Let Me Be Deceived As the World Is Being Led Down a Deceptive Trail to the Judgment Day.

How Can I Avoid Deception

1. Be a Student of God’s Word Which Is Found In the Bible
2. Pray for God to Pour Out the Holy Spirit On You
3. Be a Part of a Bible Based Church
4. Serve Others Where You Can Use Your Spiritual Gifts
5. Witness to People

Healed from Deception

Have you ever had someone ask Why There Is Trouble In the World? Because most of my friends know I am a Christian, I get asked this question from time to time. Why do little children get serious illnesses and die? Why do earthquakes, fires and floods devastate our world?

For the first 34 years of my life, I had no personal relationship with God. I had no need of religion and had enough of it in Christian boarding schools in Virginia. I was a prime target of Satan and fell into deception myself.

In 1994, God started calling me back to him. I was hospitalized for almost the whole year. God put the right people in my life to help me overcome some serious challenges. I praise God for every day that I wake up now.

To keep growing and avoid any further deception, I spend time growing my faith and serving God today. One of the best things a hurting person can do is find some way to serve others. It may be volunteering at your church, an assisted living facility, a homeless shelter or a food bank.

I hope my Why There Is Trouble In the World post has been helpful to you. I fully understand the Great Controversy that is still going on until Jesus Christ returns to the earth as Our Savior and King. This Post Is Approved By My Angel Patricia Gutierrez Who Serves God As a Bible Worker Here In Chile.

If you are interested in reading more Spiritual Articles, just click on my Link Below. I post sermon notes and lessons that have helped me grow.

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